Much better day today. I think my issues the pat two days were just related to altitude adjustment. I still felt the ride more than normal but didn't have any real difficulty so maybe I'm starting to adapt. We'll see about tomorrow though - I'm feeling pretty doubtful about the climb up to Cedar Breaks, which tops out above 10,000'.
Other than a health and fitness update, there's not that much to report today. It was a pretty undramatic ride, but peaceful and pleasant. We got an early start, having breakfast in our motel room - a pair of breakfast burritos and microwaved coffee that we picked up at the gas station last night. We stayed around the room until 8 when the gas station opened, so we could go back to pick up something for lunch - two frozen sandwiches, which were still frozen when we stopped for lunch by the side of the highway.
We took our time - both of us are feeling the effects of the elevation a bit - but with our early start we still got into our room by four. We"re at the Mountain View Lodge tonight, which we were pleased to find has a good Chinese restaurant onsite. It made a nice break from the usual small town cafe fare we expect to find a lot of in the next two weeks.
After dinner we walked down to the gas station to pick up a beer to take back to the room. I'm trying something new tonight - a session beer, which I'd never heard of. It's low alcohol (Utah limits ABV content to 4.0 for store sales). Utah might be the session beer Capitol of the world. The name comes from the idea that alcohol content should be low enough that you can enjoy drinking for the whole session.
I picked up a Misdirected IPA, by Shades of Pale Brewing. Not bad, but not something I was inclined to post to the Beer of the Month Club.
Elevation gain: for today, 2,500'; for the tour, 9,700'.
At the summit at last, and relieved that the last few miles are downhill. Looks like I'm gripping it for support, doesn't it?
Swainsons Hawk, north of Enterprise. I like the foot action - one released, the other still holding fast. This is a rare outcome for me, getting the whole bird. Usually when they take flight I get nothing but tailfeathers and blue sky.
After 20 flat, open miles we finally come to the start of the climb and find a few trees to offer some privacy. Time for a break before the big ordeal. Up to now we've just been loafing along, gaining a total of 46' so far.
The big climb for the day - we finally leave the basin and gain some altitude. It remained a very gradual grade the entire way - perfect to our needs this morning.
Another very scenic lunch break, on the shoulder of the highway in full sun. We didn't linger long - just long enough to scarf down our still partly frozen sandwiches we picked up at the gas station this morning.
The red hills above Cedar City, with Cedar Breaks at the top of the ridge in the distance. The canyon shows the most direct route to the Breaks, 5000' higher - up highway 14, and then branching off near the summit on route 148. This is the route I followed 30 years ago on my first tour of Utah. We'd be going this way today too, but for the fact that 148 is still closed due to snow.
A beautiful stone monument to Sylvanus Cyrus Hull, an early Mormon settler who presumably lived in this fine old house in Summit. The plaque documents his noteable accomplishments: Father of ten children, by Catherine Stoker Father of five others, by Elzina Miller Father of yet one more, by Elizabeth Dalley
Today's ride: 66 miles (106 km) Total: 159 miles (256 km)
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david alstonI have been reminded that this is the fiftieth anniversary year of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire, a book that is important to Maun and me. When we lived in Price we were pretty well Abbey disciples, reading everything we could find which was a lot given our many visits to the Back of Beyond bookstore in Moab. Bits of wisdom remain, such as his advice to measure highway distance in six packs. Try try that with other than session beer. Maun and I honored his advice mostly in the breach but we were not above cracking a can when we were within 12 ounces or so of our destination Reply to this comment 5 years ago
Scott AndersonTo david alstonDesert Solitaire! I loved that book also, and read it befor my first trip to the region back in 1987. Also the Monkey House Gang - when I biked through Arches the first time I kept thinking about Abbey and what an exceptional experience that must have been for him when he was there before tourism really took off. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
